Jessica Alba Reveals Childhood Pain In New Book

By Access HollywoodFebruary 29, 2008, 3:57 pm PST

While Jessica Alba may be living a charmed life as a successful Hollywood beauty, things weren't always so easy for the star, as she revealed in a new book called "If I'd Known Then."

In the book, which is comprised of a collection of essays and letters from notable women in their 20s and 30s to their younger selves, Alba reveals she was branded a "slut" as a child by a school administrator.

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In Alba's candid and emotional passage, the actress explains how an elementary school principal and few "self-righteous" PTA moms used the derogatory term against her at a very young age.

The actress recounted the ordeal in a letter written from Jessica to her younger self.

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"The accusation still ricochets… They think I'm a slut???" she wrote to an adolescent Jessica. "This is only the latest injustice… They're all ignorant. The kids think something is wrong with you because you're developing early. The teachers don't encourage their students to think or question anything. And parents, especially the rich parents of white, soccer-playing kids, are the worst. They constantly criticize you and tear you apart."

Jessica talked about what it was like growing up with her mixed racial background, as her father is Mexican and her mother is white.

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"When you're not racially defined, they don't accept you in either culture," she explained.

The now-pregnant star claims she first smooched a boy when she was 7, "so he would pick me for our neighborhood baseball team."

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In closing, Jessica offered some final words of wisdom to her younger self on the topic of the opposite sex.

"Boys are awful. They are made of nothing but hormones until they're about 20 or 21," she reportedly wrote. "You can't take relationships too seriously until you're older… It's fun to have a crush, but don't think it's forever. You have the rest of your life to do that."

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She signed the letter, "Keep questioning and challenging. - Jessica."

Other stars with essays in the collection include singer Natasha Bedingfield, skating champ Sasha Cohen and racecar driver Danica Patrick.

The book will be published this May by Da Capo.

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comments

comments 1-10 of 139  | newest | < newer | older > | oldest
  • Scooby Doo!
    Jessica is a Hot Mama (heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!!!)
    report abuseposted March 12, 2008, 2:32 pm PDT
  • Scooby Doo!
    Scooby-Dooby-Jessica!!!!! (heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!!!)
    report abuseposted March 10, 2008, 12:21 am PDT
  • Scooby Doo!
    Jessica can check out my Albas anytime: (heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!!!)
    report abuseposted March 10, 2008, 12:20 am PDT
  • eclair
    wow...i've been called a lesbian in 4th grade....but im glad thts over! also jessica's smart lol "boys are awful" they r.....they r....
    report abuseposted March 9, 2008, 12:12 pm PDT
  • Scooby Doo!
    Jessica Alba is not White, she is of Brazillian and Eskimo descent. Her fav snack food is Eskimo Pies, she is writing a book about building Snow Men out of Baskin Robins Ice Cream. The new book should be hitting the stands early next April.
    report abuseposted March 7, 2008, 3:55 pm PST
  • lala
    jessica abla was right to let all the mean words not bring her down
    report abuseposted March 5, 2008, 1:11 pm PST
  • Rachael's 19
    Now I have seen a few pretty White Girls -- but Jessica is the MOST BEAUTIFUL little white girl ever born. We love you Ms Alba!!!!
    report abuseposted March 4, 2008, 1:25 pm PST
  • B777
    well you know waht, most women in hollywood are %@!*#s. they take off clothes for money, dress provacatively, pose nude... if any regular girl did this, everyone would think she was a %@!*#, too, so she probably was a %@!*#. kissing a boy to get on a team? yeah ok, that's so not %@!*#y (sarcastic). how can she have any "words of wisdom", she's not that old.
    report abuseposted March 3, 2008, 7:58 pm PST
  • that is sad but true!!!♥☻☺
    report abuseposted March 3, 2008, 6:58 pm PST
  • without_apathy
    Words of wisdom from Jessica Alba, "Boys are awful..." lol but seriously, it's true
    report abuseposted March 3, 2008, 6:13 pm PST
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